Bones and Stones
by HeathenVampires
Summary: Modern AU. As an archeologist, Valka often ends up in random parts of the world digging up rare and exciting discoveries. She didn't really expect to unearth romance in a museum. Valka/Mala
1. Chapter 1

**Here's a new pairing! One I'm excited and terrified for.**

 **Valka and Mala! Two favourite characters of mine, but I'm never confident in femslash. So... be gentle with me.**

 **It's a modern AU, with archeologist Valka and museum owner Mala! (I don't know lots about museums so apologies if you do and I get something wrong)**

-HTTYD-

"Simply magnificent. And such a rarity!"

Valka smiled at the exuberance of the museum owner. She was far too used to the actual owners being business sorts, stuffy old men in suits who couldn't understand the excitement of the finds. But the Defenders Of The Wing Museum was different; the owner was a fourth generation bone junkie. She would have been born and grown around fossil fanatics.

"The bones?"

"The rock! Only two per cent of fossils are found within volcanic rock, and I have a particular love for volcanic rock."

She found herself chuckling at their opposing favouritism in the finds, as Valka was far more excited about the bones encased in rock than the rock itself. Still, the museum was showing her work. Valka wouldn't be anywhere else. And after a recent four months digging around an extinct volcano with men in their sand gear, the sight of an attractive woman clothed in an ensemble of black-and-gold that hugged slim curves wasn't _exactly_ a downside.

"Well I'm glad my findings are in such knowing hands."

The woman straightened up, tucking the magnifying glass in her hand down into an indistinguishable pocket on her belt.

"You are welcome to collect a meal from the staff canteen and rest after your journey."

Normally, Valka wouldn't dare leave her bones, but she trusted the blonde woman and her joy for the stones.

"Thank you, Miss...?"

"You may call me Mala. And yourself?"

She extended her hand, so Valka reached out her dig-callused one to shake.

"Valka."

"You certainly have an eye for the exceptional, I will say that. I shall oversee the authentication and building of this exhibit myself. Each one will be photographed, and I will ensure you receive a copy. As well as an invite to the unveiling of course."

Valka nodded, then remembered who she had promised to invite herself.

"Would you mind if I brought a guest?"

"Not at all. I will leave your name on the VIP list with a plus one."

Smiling and thanking her, Valka took a last longing look at her findings, then took her leave. After the offered lunch, that was. She was both hungry and a terrible cook. Much preferred a baking desert to a baking pie.

"Hey mom. Have a fun trip to the museum?"

"Always."

Henry, better known as 'Hiccup', was her adult son and currently stretched out along the floor of her kitchen, utilising the sunlight streaming through the back door for illuminating his drawing. He smiled up at her, adding the finishing touches to a bony plate on the back of his dinosaur.

"Do I still get to come to the exhibit?"

"Of course. I'd never go without you. The museum owner said she would put myself and a plus one on the VIP list for the opening exhibit."

"She?"

Hiccup had a quirked eyebrow, that playful smile he had definitely inherited from his grandmother Rama. Valka's mother, a completely mad Australian woman with a rabid sense of humour.

"Yes Hiccup, I am not the only woman in the world of archeology."

"Last week you were complaining no woman loves bones as much as you."

Her son had been hugely understanding and _accepting_ when his parents divorced, owing to Valka coming to terms with her sexuality. While she still loved her husband, they weren't really happy as a couple and it was a waste to pretend they were. She and Stoick were the best of friends now, he as supportive of her as Hiccup in finding a lady she liked.

"That may well be true, since the woman who owns the museum is more interested in obsidian and basalt than skull shapes and thigh bones."

"Ah well. Back to the search for a lesbian bone licker like you."

"Hiccup!"

He flashed her a grin, turned back to his sketch while the light was good. The ankylosaurus was recognisable though half-finished, and one of Hiccup's favourite dinosaurs to doodle. Valka rolled her eyes and left him to it, the grain of truth in his words not really registering. Yes, a companion who shared her love for fossils would be nice, but Valka wasn't _lonely,_ nor did romance come before archeology.

Dinos before dates, as Hiccup called it.

Valka put all her notes and logs away in her office, filed according to year and location of the dig. Then she returned to spending time with her son - Valka was usually only in the country about half the year, the rest spent running about the world with a fossil brush and buckets of enthusiasm.

"Oh, before I forget, dad told me to tell you to call him when you're settled so you can hang out."

"Oh? Everything alright with Stoick?"

Hiccup nodded, smiling.

"Yeah, dads fine. I guess he just misses you. You guys are friends after all."

Valka returned his smile, stirring a fruity teabag in hot water and inhaling the sweet aroma that came off it.

"So, how's Astrid?"

That familiar look stole over Hiccup's face, eyes taking on a sort of faraway look as his mouth tipped up in a fond smile.

"She's great."

Hiccup elaborated on his girlfriend after finishing the leg he had been drawing, climbing up from the floor with a groan and rubbing his chest.

"We went swimming the other day, some guy tried to make fun of my leg and Astrid threatened to drown him."

Valka frowned; her son wore a prosthetic after a childhood accident necessitated a below-the-knee amputation of his leg. She and Stoick had always taught him to never be ashamed of it, and his girlfriend was equally fierce about his self-acceptance.

"How rude of them."

Hiccup shrugged it off.

"Don't get all mama dragon on me now, it was just some idiot and I know better than to listen. Tell me about this rare bird you dug up."

Hiccup had inherited her love of archeology, and his fathers love of machines. Her artistic tendencies and Stoick's stubborn (and at times hard-headed) determination. Gods only knew where the mix would have him end up, but whatever her son did, Valka was certain he would be _spectacular_ at it.

"So, is she old enough to be a fossil herself?"

Bemused by her son as they prepared to leave for the exhibition a few weeks later, Valka shook her head at his "I got boned" t-shirt with a T-Rex fossil on before querying who on earth he was on about.

"Who?"

"The woman who runs the museum. I confess I've never been to this one."

"Oh. No. I'd say she's my age, maybe a little younger."

Hiccup jutted his lower lip out in thought as he tied his boot carefully onto his non-organic limb, testing the steps to check it was on right.

"Your age group and runs a museum. It's a match made in Valhalla!"

"Oh, do be quiet Hiccup."

He stuck his tongue out jokingly, then grabbed his jacket.

"Ready when you are mother dearest."

They took their separate vehicles to the museum, in case Hiccup had to leave early or Valka opted to stay later. Both were practically vibrating with excitement as they pulled up, heading in and Hiccup pointed out the sign declaring the fancy new exhibit full of exciting things dug out from the ground.

"Check you out, practically famous."

"Only to carbon daters son."

Hiccup chuckled, casting a cursory glance at the other things the museum offered, obviously intending a return visit some time when he wasn't there strictly for Valka's handiwork.

"Valka! I am so glad you could make it. Is this your... date for the evening?"

Valka shared a look with Hiccup, both raising eyebrows when they looked back to Mala.

"No no, he's my _son."_

"Ah. My apologies, I am terribly embarassed for the misunderstanding. Forgive me, but you do not look old enough to have an adult son."

"Told you so mom. Hi, I'm Henry but everyone calls me Hiccup."

He held his hand out to Mala, even inclined his head in a little bow and she seemed quite pleased by that.

"I am Mala. Do you share your mothers love for archeology?"

"Amongst other things, but I wouldn't say my knowledge is anywhere near as good as hers. She's the expert."

And with that, Hiccup left the two standing there to go peek at the things not quite hidden by sheets. There were several people already in attendance, and Valka always felt a little amazed by the fact they were there to see something _she_ had done.

"Inquisitive is he?"

"To a fault. We had to padlock the cupboards when he was little as standard child locks couldn't stop him."

Mala chuckled, looking around the room before checking her watch.

"Refreshments are available over to the left, we still have about fifteen minutes and a dozen invited guests to await before we open the exhibit up to the general public."

Valka allowed herself to be led, opting for water rather than alcohol or fizzy drinks. Mala did the same, surreptitiously eyeing the room again as she sipped delicately.

"Hey, sorry to be nosy" Hiccup appeared nearby, grinning "but are you from Australia by any chance? Your accent reminds me of my grandmas."

Mala, looking slightly surprised by his question, lowered her cup and wiped her lip delicately.

"Yes, I spent the first fifteen years of my life in Adelaide before moving here to work at the museum."

"I knew it! Ok, I'll just leave you two to talk bones now."

If Hiccup was young enough, Valka would absolutely ground him for flashing her that cheeky grin as he left Mala and she alone. Clearly, he thought he was some kind of subtle matchmaker.

"I take it you emigrated before you had your son? As his accent carries no trace of Australia, unlike yourself."

Mala asked, and Valka nodded.

"My parents moved us here when I was seventeen. I met Hiccup's father only a year later."

It was quite remarkable, Valka mused, that they had both moved from the same native land to the same new country, meeting through their unusual career paths.

"I would never intend to put you on the spot, but if anybody has questions about the findings would you be willing to be called upon?"

Valka wasn't a public speaker by nature, but she could certainly talk for all of Australia when it came to a find.

"Absolutely."

Mala smiled, thanked her and finished her drink before circling the room, obviously putting the finishing touches to the exhibit opening event. The crown jewel of her findings was the rare bird Hiccup had asked her about, one that, to previous knowledge, had never inhabited even the continent Valka had found the bones on. There was a new dig scheduled for the same area in a few months that Valka intended to be at, looking for new clues.

Standing at the front of the room, Mala commanded attention in her confident posture alone and when she cleared her throat, it managed to carry through the din and everyone fell silent, turned toward her.

"As you all know, the findings displayed in this exhibit not only possess great intrigue about the species present, but also happened to be rarities in themselves as they were perfectly preserved within volcanic rock!"

A couple of the others oohed and aahed about the rarity, growing antsy as the covers were removed to allow full view of the bones and stones. Everyone circled and chittered in interest as they perused, but Mala wasn't done yet and called their attention about half an hour later.

"As an added bonus, the head of the team who found the majority of these fossils is in fact here tonight."

When Valka was named as the finder, she had a small contingent of excited paleontology buffs and explorer-types eager to question her about the dig, the location. Attempting not to come over rude, Valka only answered a minimal number before Hiccup came to her rescue and dragged her away from the fan club.

"I am so proud of you, this is all amazing."

"Thank you Hiccup. Is this the honey and the hatchet where you tell me you're off?"

"Work's called me in, I tried to tell them I booked today off special but three people are out sick."

She was disappointed, but Hiccup was obviously crestfallen too and wouldn't be leaving if he didn't absolutely have to.

"We'll come see the exhibit together again soon yeah?"

"I look forward to it son. Go on, don't hang about on my account."

As he leant in to hug her goodbye, Hiccup kissed her cheek and gave Mala a courteous wave before regretfully leaving. They would definitely be back, and he had managed to make the actual exhibit for the better part of an hour. Mala approached her again, looking sympathetic.

"I take it he did not wish to leave?"

"No, but he had to get to work. Oh well, we can always come back when he's free again."

Seeming to take the position of not letting Valka stay alone again, Mala managed to keep an eye on everybody from her side, engaging her in more conversation as people started to leave.

"So, what was it that brought your interest to the world of fossils?"

Mala asked, stopping to look at the tiny fossilised wing bones carefully preserved behind glass.

"Oh, I was an enormous fan of dinosaurs even as a little girl. I knew even then I wanted to spend my life searching for them."

"Ahh, a lifelong passion then."

Conversation soon turned to some of Valka's favourite excavations, only halting when someone came to tell Mala that the museum hours were about to be over. Gods, they must have been talking for _hours._

"Oh, yes. I have to close up now, but we should definitely talk more."

Valka nodded, always eager to enthuse with someone about things that were countless millennium old. One on one, at least. The excitable fan club earlier had been a little overwhelming.

"Absolutely."

"Would you happen to be free tomorrow evening? There is a charming restaurant nearby that I simply _adore,_ and has individual booths that will allow us to converse over dinner."

"That sounds wonderful."

Mala clapped once, an oddly youthful display of excitement at odds with her composed, elegant stance.

"Excellent."

Taking the address and agreeing on a time, Valka left before somebody locked her in for the night. There were _worse_ places to be locked in than a building full of ancient history, she supposed. Driving herself home as evening began to fall, Valka hummed to herself, tapped her fingers on the steering wheel and just generally resonated with the joy of a truly _good_ day.

"So, did I miss anything?"

Hiccup asked when he got home, tired but still ready to hear about her day after he'd left.

"The fossils didn't suddenly reanimate and start chasing us, if that's what you mean."

"Shame. Did you have chance to talk more with Mala?"

Valka nodded with a smile, producing the bit of paper with the address of the restaurant on.

"We are heading out for dinner tomorrow to talk some more."

Hiccup looked at her very strangely for a minute or so, the quiet scrutiny starting to bother her slightly.

"What is it?"

"Nothing. I just... I can't think the last time you smiled like that about something that hadn't been dead a couple million years."

Pouting in thought, Valka looked up at her son from her seat.

"What are you implying?"

"Nothing! Nothing at all... except that maybe you have a _date."_

"Oh, don't be daft son. It is just two women going out to eat dinner and debate how many years it needs to be to be archeology instead of grave robbing."

"Yeah... I'd totally believe you mom. I would. Except for the fact you're blushing."

Valka threw an apple at him. Hiccup caught it deftly, feigning hurt until he bit into the fruit and winked.

"Me think the lady doth protest too much. I'm just saying mom, maybe don't go there in your digging fatigues."

Valka shooed at him, though her admonishments were rather half-hearted.

"Oh do go away you daft boy. It's not a date."

"If you say so. I'll go stay at Astrid's though, just in case. Wouldn't want to cramp your style."

"Hiccup!"

She heard him laugh as he left for the kitchen to start a late dinner.

It was _not_ a date.

-HTTYD-

 **next chapter will pretty much exclusively revolve around Valka and Mala, unlike this one that sort of got away from me.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thearizona - well a Valcup reference here and there makes sure everyone knows it's me! Haha**

 **Now, we all know I exist solely to produce vast quantities of smut, _almost_ on demand. But F/F is not a strong suit, because, well, I've never had lesbian sex. So... lets see what happens.**

 **If you're _just_ here for smut, I'm not sure this is the fic for you but you made it this far. Read the rest.**

-HTTYD-

"So, getting ready for your da-aaaate?"

"Hiccup, _behave._ "

Her son was wonderful and she loved him, but Valka did wish he would let the 'date' thing go. He was sat on her bed while Valka fussed about what to wear - Mala had described the restaurant as 'charming' and she didn't want to be underdressed.

"What? She's cute! And she likes your bones."

Valka rolled her eyes as Hiccup fiddled with a replica pterodactyl egg from her bedside; it opened up and worked as a reading lamp too. Hiccup had made it for her when he was twelve for mothers day.

"And the strong likelihood is she's heterosexual and simply wants to talk to another woman in a male-dominated field."

"Whatever you say mother dear. Do you want me to tell you what you should wear before you empty your entire wardrobe?"

Glaring, Valka supposed a bit of advice couldn't hurt. She could always pick something else if Hiccups idea didn't work for her.

"Alright."

Grinning, Hiccup rolled off the bed, hunting through her wardrobe and pulling out a soft sandy-yellow button down, her favourite brown skirt.

"Wear your brown jacket, you'll be coordinated. That or this, since she seems to like the colour scheme."

He pulled out a black skirt and another shirt with a golden-yellow hue. Valka liked yellow shades... they reminded her of the sun. And she spent a lot of time in the sun, both from being Australian and an archeologist.

"Thank you. Now shoo so I can get ready."

"I mean, you could go in your dressing gown. I'm sure she wouldn't mind."

"Out!"

Hiccups laughter rang in her ears as he left her to dress, realising she had discarded several options as only a Hiccup-sized spot remained uncovered by clothes on her bed. Opting for the gold and black seemed a little over the top, especially if Mala came out in her work clothes. Matching outfits would look quite strange. Valka went for middle ground - golden top and brown skirt. It was comfortable and casual without looking lazy. Hopefully the restaurant wasn't terribly formal.

Waiting in the kitchen with his overnight bag ready for Astrid's, Hiccup wolf-whistled jokingly as Valka came down in her chosen outfit.

"You look great mom. She'll never be able to resist."

Rolling her eyes again, Valka ruffled his hair playfully and enjoyed his sound of complaint.

"That's not the intent son."

"Mhmm. I believe you."

His tone was not very convincing at all. He leant up to hug her, kissed her cheek and shouldered his bag.

"For all your talk of it not being a date... you've barely stopped talking about anything but her and your conversation yesterday. Bye!"

He dashed off giggling like a naughty little boy, knowing Valka would tut in his direction if he had stayed. And left her somewhat flustered; _had_ she been talking about Mala? She hadn't noticed. Shaking her head, Valka tied her hair into it's customary braid, let that rest over her shoulder once she had her jacket on. If she left now, she would be early.

Valka left anyway, trying to ignore the flutter of anticipation in her belly as she drove, pulling up outside the restaurant and stepping out into early evening air. The car park wasn't heaving, but it was fairly busy.

"Punctual. I appreciate that."

Mala was already there, leant against the wall in black jumper and jeans with golden detailing. Detailing that lit up under the street lights, would probably be distracting Valka all night in the restaurant as it slid along curves. Honestly, the woman was all _hips_ when she walked. Valka felt very self-conscious of her own narrow frame. At least she didn't feel inordinately tall too; Mala was easily six foot herself.

"I hate being late. You don't have time to waste on a dig after all."

"Well, the fossils aren't exactly going anywhere."

Valka chuckled.

"True, but you can often only work for half the day before the heat is too much."

"Ah. That is an excellent point. Shall we go in?"

Mala was clearly at ease in the restaurant, and a regular judging by how the servers recognised her, called her by name and showed her to her 'usual' table.

"Thank you Nadia."

"No problem Mala. I'll be back to take your drinks order in a minute."

Handed a menu, Valka quietly thanked the lady as she left them. She glanced over the menu, knowing she was driving and so limiting herself to one small drink with a meal was the maximum. The quiet contemplation wasn't uncomfortable, but Valka wondered if she was coming across awkward.

"So, what can I get you ladies?"

"I will have a Bellini, extra peach please. Valka?"

"I'll have an Americano please."

She had a bit of a weakness for vermouth, which nobody else she knew seemed to drink. Drinks menus removed afterward, Mala sipped her water before looking at Valka.

"So, tell me Valka, what do you do when you are not hunting for bones in the sand?"

Mouth suddenly dry - Valka _never_ got nervous! - she reached for her own water before answering.

"I spend time with my son. I give guest lectures at the university to archeology students about field work, sometimes I lead training courses. In my free time... I like to paint. Hiccup's inherited that too, loves drawing. What about you?"

Their drinks arrived and she could smell the sweet peach scent of Mala's fruity drink, a few wafts of the prosecco mixed in rising to become part of the scent. Valka's was more reserved looking, but it was sweet and refreshing.

"Well the museum takes up a great deal of my time, but I teach martial arts on the side. It is an excellent way to manage stress, and the occasional contest soothes my competitive soul. When I have the time, I offer free self-defence classes to children and teenagers."

"Wow. That's very generous of you."

"It gets them exercising, and helps with confidence. It really is a win win situation."

They went quiet to order food, Valka roving the menu in an attempt to locate something that didn't sound terribly exotic. She was pleasantly surprised to see food she recognised from her homeland, knowing she would order the Damper bread and some gorgeous sounding roasted lamb as soon as she saw those options.

"Finding some familiar things?"

"I take it you know something I don't?"

Mala winked, smiling.

"As it happens, the owner of the restaurant is Australian. Which is why I enjoy this place so much, so few places even serve the traditional fare. If you have dessert, you simply must try the pavlova. Or the lamington, the lamington is _divine."_

When excited about food, Mala positively lit up. She had sharp green eyes that glowed under soft lighting that illuminated the food but wasn't at all harsh on the patrons vision. Her usual half-smile became a full and joyous expression.

"Do you miss Australia?"

Valka couldn't help asking, though she immediately wished she hadn't asked such a personal question. Mala took a swallow from her peach-infused drink, formulating her answer.

"Sometimes. But I would miss the museum far more, and my brother was never interested in the prospect of running it. So the alternative would be for it to leave the family so I could eat Tim Tams and miss my job."

Nadia returned to take their order, and while Valka ordered only the bread and lamb, Mala ordered some fried calamari to start, followed by roast beef and vegetables. As she dipped it in the accompanying sweet chilli sauce, she chuckled to herself while Valka enjoyed really quite authentic-tasting Damper bread.

"Never tastes quite the same as it did back in Adelaide, but it's still the best in the country."

"I was never one for seafood personally, which my father seemed to take personally as a fisherman by hobby."

Mala cocked her head, letting out a short laugh.

"An Australian who doesn't like _seafood?_ By the ancients, what did you put on your pizza?"

Having finished her cocktail, Valka ordered a non-alcoholic 'mocktail' to go with her dinner. Mala ordered water, then sat waiting for her answer as to pizza toppings. Judging by her inquisitive expression, it was serious business.

"Lamb. Vegetables. Sometimes chicken?"

Plates placed in front of them, then drinks, the two women prepared to eat their main courses.

"Peculiar. Still, I suppose there is a first time for everything."

Conversation waned at first in favour of food, but as the meal wore on Mala looked up, dabbing her mouth delicately with the napkin next to her plate.

"So tell me, what is your favourite place that you have visited?"

Valka chewed some perfectly roasted lamb, swallowed and sipped the cherry-and-cranberry mocktail she'd opted for.

"For work? Actually, the most recent trip was quite spectacular. We camped in an extinct volcano, which is just one of those things you never expect to be able to say you did. You can only really dig in the morning hours, so the afternoons not spent filing in the office can be spent exploring. There were some truly spectacular landscapes."

Mala nodded along, looking attentive and intrigued. Possibly by the mention of volcanoes, Valka mused to herself with an internal laugh.

"Did you take photographs of the volcano?"

Definitely the volcano.

"Of course. Hiccup would never forgive me if I came back with nothing to show him."

Mala laughed lightly, spearing a piece of meat on her fork.

"May I see them sometime?"

"Absolutely."

Meals finished, Valka was almost too full but couldn't really pass up some apparently fantastic Australian dessert. It had to have been a couple of _years_ since she last had a lamington. Mala didn't even glance at the menu, apparently already decided.

"Every dessert comes with the most perfect Anzac biscuits, though I often save them to enjoy with a post-dinner coffee."

Her evening with Mala had been like being transported back to Australia, something homely and comforting about her company the more time she spent there.

"I will definitely have to come back here."

Mala smiled, fingers loosely interlocked on the table as she watched Valka with the menu.

"It's like a little slice of home, isn't it?"

"Very. I'll have to bring Hiccup, he's always curious about Australian food but I'm not really much of a cook."

"Your son would be welcome anytime, he seems quite the charming young man."

Valka really, _really_ hoped Mala didn't have a thing for her son. Oh, that would be awkward. Not least because Valka herself kept getting distracted by the way the golden lines on Mala's jumper tapered off to give way to an elegant sweep of throat above her collar.

"Well, his girlfriend certainly thinks so. She's quite the spitfire though, but they do say opposites attract."

"Do you not like his girlfriend?"

Mala looked faintly perturbed by the idea, leaning on her hands as she leant closer to Valka.

"Oh, no. Astrid is lovely, I just didn't quite expect my quiet, artistic son to bring home this sparky, energetic Valkyrie. Although he is a secret adrenaline junkie, perhaps she saw that in him."

"That sounds... interesting. I only asked because my niece has had some terrible boyfriends, I could sympathise if you did not like her."

Valka was getting worried over nothing. Mala was just having an adult conversation and she needed to stop overthinking it. Forcing away the daft ideas, she turned back to the menu and decided on lamington just in time for Nadia to return.

"He's here if you wanted to say hi. Introduce him to your date."

Mala's eyes suddenly widened. Valka's probably did too at the sudden statement from the server.

"Nadia!"

The servers face quickly clouded and she backed away, blinking rapidly.

"Oh no, I'm so sorry. I thought... I'll just go put your orders in!"

Valka watched her go, then turned back to Mala who had her face in her hands.

"I am so very sorry about her. She simply assumed that, as you aren't visibly another museum executive that this is a courtship attempt."

"So you are..."

Valka managed to stop herself, but not before a few words escaped.

"Oh. Yes, I have brought women here on dates, and my brother considers it his personal agenda to show up and embarrass me in front of them."

"Your brother?"

"Oh, did I not mention? This restaurant is my brothers."

Heart still in her mouth, Valka swallowed thickly. Did her not bringing up her sexuality mean that she simply wasn't interested? Or as Valka had a son, Mala had assumed that _she_ was straight and therefore uninterested?

"Ah. If it makes you feel better, my son was on my case about the same thing."

Mala lowered her hands and looked at Valka, puzzled.

"Restaurants?"

"This being a date. If I'd spoken to his father, I've no doubt he would have made similar jokes."

"Forgive me for being prying, but are you and his father no longer an item?"

Apparently they had lost any awkwardness now things were coming to the fore.

"Stoick and I seperated some time ago. Very amicably, I still loved him dearly and we had our son, but I wasn't _in_ love with him. I couldn't be. We are still very good friends, and both he and Hiccup were very understanding, accepting of why we separated."

"You have to be true to yourself."

Valka inclined her head in agreement.

"Precisely. Stoick has a new partner, who I _think_ is beginning to warm to me but she adores Hiccup. And Hiccup just wants me to meet somebody, my work keeps me quite busy sometimes and not everybody accepts that giant lizards from many years ago are very important to me."

Now Mala knew she was gay, apparently Valka couldn't shut up. Biting the inside of her lip to silence herself, she figured Mala could do with a chance to process and answer.

"Care to tell me why my top waitress is hiding in the kitchen from my sister?"

Mala looked up, face brightening as she observed the man bringing them dessert. She waited for him to put down the plates, then stood up and hugged him.

"She made an error in speech. Valka, this is my brother Throk. Throk, this is Valka, the archaeologist I was telling you about."

"Ah, the one who provided your most recent exhibit. You made quite an impression on my sister miss Valka."

"Ok, that's quite enough from you. Shoo."

Chuckling, the muscular man released Mala.

"Is it safe to let Nadia back out?"

"Of course."

Throk left them, and Valka turned her eyes to her dessert lest her faintly flushed cheeks be spotted. Mala was more keen-eyed than she had expected though, and noticed them.

"Please pay him no mind, he lives to embarrass me. Now he no longer has to chase away boys, that is."

Touching her spoon to a shred of dessicated coconut, Valka watched the cake slice beneath yield easily, soft and light. Then she turned back to Mala, since she seemed to have taken her reddened face wrong.

"He chased away boys?"

Mala nodded, lifting a piece of fruit from her pavlova to her mouth and giving Valka strong suspicions she had something of a sweet tooth.

"When we were younger. He is the younger sibling, but took protecting me very seriously. I remember one day in my teens, he followed me on a date. He jumped out holding a stick from the ground and threatened the young man I was with, despite only being ten at the time himself, and said if he were not willing to treat me like a queen, then he would have to answer for that."

Laughing heartily by the end of the story, both women started on their dessert. A little stack of Anzac biscuits sat on an individual saucer to the side, looking just like Valka remembered from her childhood.

"Throk was the first person I "came out" to" Mala added the air quotes which her fingers, obviously dismissive of the term "and he actually said it was a good thing, as it meant he didn't have to watch out for men any longer. When I moved out of Australia, it only took him three years to demand to follow me here."

Mala smiled fondly as she spoke, clearly enamoured with her brothers devotion to her. The meringue crunched beneath her cutlery, gave way to the soft insides.

"I have no siblings, nor any embarrassing teenage stories of dating. I was rather quiet as a girl, always buried in a book about dinosaurs or fossils."

"And as an adult?"

"Oh, _many_ tales of disaster as I ventured into the dating world a divorcee with a teenage son, obsessed with things that died years ago."

Increasingly comfortable with each other now food and ice breakers abound had made them more warm and placid, Mala cracked up laughing so hard she had to put down her spoon.

"If you have _many_ tales, it doesn't seem to have slowed you down as much as you say."

Valka joined in her mirth, sharing in smiles.

"I suppose. Still, it does make one wonder if they might belong in a dig site and not a relationship."

"You are not an exhibit Valka, you are meant to be more than looked upon."

Something about Mala's words made warmth roll down Valka's spine; the intensity of her gaze enough to make her wonder if Mala was indeed interested in more than conversation from her.

"Perhaps. This really is good by the way, you were right."

Valka indicated her dessert, crumbling and shedding coconut bits that she wondered if she could get away with dabbing up with her fingers.

"Would you like to try mine?"

Their booth meant the other patrons wouldn't be watching them at least, so Valka nodded with no concern for how it might appear. Mala scooped up a spoonful of crisp meringue, soft insides and sweet fruit, held it out across to Valka. Closing her mouth around the spoon, she was acutely aware of emerald eyes fixed on her.

"Good?"

"Mmm."

Valka nodded, chewing the mouthful as Mala withdrew her spoon. The meringue was lighter than air, the softer content sweet and soft and the fruit tart and flavoursome. As she swallowed, Valka suppressed a shiver at the heat Mala's gaze contained for the simple but... intimate action.

Definitely interested. There was a turn up for the books.

"I know what I'll order next time I'm here."

"My brother will be thrilled to have the approval of another true blooded Aussie girl."

Valka smiled, finishing the last of her lamington cake and deciding to Hel with it, dragging her finger through dessicated coconut and licking the pieces that stuck from her skin. Mala watched her silently for a minute, then smiled.

"I do that too."

Nadia reappeared looking intensely awkward in Mala's direction, but managed to take their coffee orders before skittering away with their finished dishes. Valka couldn't help but appreciate the woman's faux pas, as it had broken the ice and allowed them to discuss their sexuality, and so their lives, freely.

"Australian coffee beans?"

Mala nodded, still eyeing Valka with a poorly-hidden want that was feeding the flutters in her belly considerably as butterflies ran rampant.

"But of course. There is nothing better."

The Anzac biscuits went perfectly with rich, not-too-bitter coffee, nostalgia powerful and yet only made Valka happy rather than homesick. Mala finished her coffee quite quickly, ate her biscuits more slowly while Valka savoured a brew she doubted she could ever recreate at home. As the mugs became cold and biscuits were crumbs and memories, the evening was seeming to draw to it's natural end.

"Do you really think my brother allows me to pay here?"

Not entirely happy with that, Valka insisted on leaving a tip for the poor traumatised waitress at least. Mala chuckled, rising from her seat and the soft mood lighting shone along the golden detailing of her clothing, highlighted sleek curves. Valka followed, eyes searching out the bathroom as she excused herself. Her cheeks were still faintly flushed, eyes alight in the mirror when Valka leant over an almost ridiculously ornate sink to wash her hands.

Mala was waiting outside the restaurant when Valka left, seeing their table empty and assuming she had gone home. Marshalling her nerve (and ignoring a voice that sounded suspiciously like Hiccup in her mind) Valka took the plunge.

"Would you like to come and see my pictures?"

It wasn't exactly subtle; at the time of evening they'd reached, inviting someone over to ones home had a degree of intent to it. But Mala was free to say no, and ask to see her pictures some other time.

She didn't.

"I would like that."

Mala had walked to the restaurant as it turned out; it wasn't far from the museum and she had come from work. So she slid elegantly into the passenger seat of Valka's car, not needing to adjust the seat for her height thanks to Hiccup's pre-adjustment of it with the long legs he had inherited from Valka.

"You'll have to excuse any mess, I'm forever forgetting to put things away."

"Do not worry, I know you were not expecting company."

Valka opened her front door with shaking hands, flicking on the hallway light to illuminate the sandy-coloured walls.

What other decor was she going to have, really?

"Oh my."

"My uh, personal collection."

Mala had spotted Valka's cabinet, containing bones and stones and little insects preserved in amber. Hiccup had put toy dinosaurs on top of the cabinet, so a hefty (plastic) herbivore watched as the blonde woman inspected the different things visible through the glass.

"May I? I promise to be gentle."

"Of course."

Looking very much like she had been given an early Christmas gift, Mala gingerly lifted the chunk of latite Valka had found lodged in the bottom of her bag once. A hunk of perlite got similar treatment, and it was clear Mala understood what the rocks were and how to handle them, careful as she placed them back down gently.

"Incredible. I do sometimes wish I had taken the time to explore these places before I dedicated myself to collecting and displaying instead."

"You could always take time off and go visit some exotic, far off places."

"That is very true. Perhaps you could be my tour guide."

Valka nodded, watching as Mala examined a cast fossil of a small prehistoric creature, tracing without touching the shapes formed within.

"Certainly."

"I believe you mentioned photographs?"

"I did" Valka turned on the spot, searching for her camera "here we are."

Viewing the pictures together meant being really rather close to each other, so close Valka could feel Mala's body heat through their clothes, feel warm breath ghost across the side of her cheek as she clicked through the images stored on the camera memory.

"There are the fossils you have displayed, before we separated and cleaned them up that is. We had almost given up work for the day when that little critter turned up, got us to do another hour."

While she was definitely looking at the pictures, oooh-ing and ahhh-ing at the right intervals and asking questions about certain ones, Valka got the impression Mala wasn't as interested in the camera as she was the wielder.

"This was the volcano we camped in. That's my assistant, clearly hard at work as you can see."

He was asleep in the picture, and while an image didn't carry sound Valka could clearly remember the light echo of his snoring. She smiled fondly at the memories of the trip. Mala leant in closer to see the volcano better, bringing her even closer to Valka. Her breath across Valka's neck prompted her to squirm slightly, which only brought them closer together.

Valka didn't think of herself as reticent or _shy_ generally, but she was inordinately glad Mala oozed considerably more confidence and surety in her actions when the blonde woman kissed her. It took her frozen brain a minute or two to process, but her mouth had caught on much faster and responded easily, eagerly to Mala.

Her sweet peach drink and rich coffee made for a heady taste that Valka found herself instantly addicted to, probably coming across slightly desperate in her response but Mala didn't really seem to mind.

If anything, she seemed quite pleased. Hands corded with hidden strength curled around Valka's hips, hauled her against Mala's body as a knowing tongue sought to uncover secrets from her mouth. When nimble fingers slid across her waist and up to splay across the dip of her lower back, Valka couldn't help but keen lowly.

This was a woman who knew what she wanted and was unafraid to seek it. Valka could only attempt to match the intensity, had no hope of conquering it and when Mala slid her other hand down to curve over Valka's backside, she surrendered to it.

Cool glass met her back, a shock against the flushed heat of her skin even through soft cotton. Mala backed off when she heard Valka hiss, felt her twist in surprise beneath exploring hands.

"Was I being too forward?"

"N-no" gods, Valka could barely _talk_ after having sense kissed clean out of her "but I don't want to topple the cabinet."

Behind them, Valka's personal collection of fossils resided encased in glass, the glass that had impeded her from moving further backwards. Mala curled fingers around her wrist, pulled Valka gently toward the sofa and resumed stealing coherent thought from her with hungry kisses. Both tall and slender, though she could feel even through clothes that Mala was tightly packed with muscle, there were long limbs everywhere as Mala practically crawled on top of her.

Breaking apart to breathe didn't go terribly well, not when Mala buried her face against Valka's neck to litter the sensitive column with kisses and licks and little bites that had Valka writhing, gasping for air between moans. Gods, when had she become so damn sensitive? She couldn't remember the last time someone had her so worked up with limbs already trembling slightly, despite them both being fully dressed and little-to-no touching below the collarbone had occurred.

Granted, it had been a while...

And Mala was _exciting._ All fire and confidence, hungry mouth on her neck and eager hands on her waist. When hot lips returned to her own, Valka couldn't help the little exhalations of want escaping her as Mala slipped hands beneath her shirt, stroked bare skin. She shivered slightly for reasons that had nothing to do with cold, gripping Mala's wrists and moving her hands to the buttons of her shirt before she lost her nerve.

Buttons fell open under skilled fingers, fabric pushed aside to expose skin and rather than simply touch, Mala leant back to actually take her in.

"Oh, you are _gorgeous_ Valka."

Flushed with shyness and growing arousal, Valka reached for Mala but was rebuffed with a wink. The blonde leaned back, wriggled out of her jumper and left her hair ever so slightly mussed before crawling back along Valka's body. The muscles of her abdomen flexed against the softer plane of Valka's belly, left her acutely aware that Mala had the body of a woman ten years younger while Valka had the body of a _mother._

Mala caught her hands, pushed them down to her sides again.

"I assure you, you have nothing to hide."

Valka placed her hands on Mala's hips, the swelling curve of them intensely appealing and therefore deliciously distracting from her own self-consciousness. Her bra strap slid down, Mala's mouth tracing the dip of her sparrow shoulder down to the swell at the top of her breast. Her skin broke out in goosebumps despite how hot she felt, nerves ablaze already and it was all Valka could do not to beg for more, faster, _something_ to quell the fire building in her gut.

The first press of rough teeth to soft flesh made Valka buck, sent zaps along her nerves and she felt Mala's lips curl into a smirk against her skin. The tease of a harsher pain was enough to leave Valka on edge, pushed her out of passive mode and soon Mala was a pliant, moaning puddle beneath her. Her neck wasn't as ridiculously sensitive as Valka's had been, but the strong sweep of her collarbone seemed to bring her alive when teeth pressed down on it.

Not to be outdone, Valka found herself on her back missing her bra and two buttons of her skirt fastening with Mala's mouth intent on sucking her nipples to hard, exquisitely sensitive peaks and succeeding quite well in the matter. Her back arched, hand making it's way into Mala's hair. It was every bit as soft and tempting as it looked, flowing through her fingers like liquid silk.

"M-much as I'm-ah, enjoying that, m-might I suggest relocating?"

Mala came up for air, cheeks flushed and pupils dilated with arousal to match the fire she inspired withon Valka.

"Ah, yes. I suppose you would not want your son to happen upon such a scene."

If she could form a coherent sentence Valka might have mentioned Hiccup wasn't due home until the next day, having left should Valka's 'not a date' turn out... exactly the way it had. Either way, Mala followed Valka to her bedroom with considerable haste, not even noticing the archeology decor in her rush to resume kissing Valka senseless.

Mala didn't waste time, working on clothes with the occasional complaint of a resistant zipper or fiddly button, but several fumbles later both women hit Valka's bed naked. Teeth scraped across her neck, lines and lines of tight tanned muscle aglow in the light of her egg-lamp but still that hypnotic curve of hip transfixed Valka, drew her hands to explore.

However, there was an _incredible_ amount of bare skin just begging to be touched and so Valka left the sleek hips to explore trim waist, smooth back and finally soft breasts. Mala gasped and pressed tighter against Valka, the sounds fanning flames that burned low in her belly. A firm thigh pressed between her own, giving the first stimulation to a previously neglected spot and Valka moaned, bucked and her hands tightened on Mala's skin.

Gods she could feel she was wet, and Mala could undoubtedly tell herself. If the smirk against her mouth was any indication, Mala was rather happy about that fact. Her hands roved Valka's torso before reaching her thighs and pushing them apart, spreading her easily as Valka's body opened up willingly.

Anticipation only made her more sensitive, Mala's mouth moving across a slightly-jutting hipbone, a ticklish lower abdomen and over a damp inner thigh before finally reaching where Valka was desperate to be touched. She was hot but Mala's tongue was hotter, burning against her swollen clit and Valka clutched the sheets and arched her back.

"Sensitive?"

The woman had a mischievous grin playing over her lips, emerald eyes dark and heated as they observed a quivering woman.

"Uh-huh."

Was all Valka could manage to muster, especially when Mala resumed her attentions, tongue shifting between quick flicks and broad strokes, drawing nonsense shapes over tender flesh. Valka's hand found it's way to Mala's hair, her fingers scraping over scalp winning moans from the mouth on her clit, vibrations threatening to make Valka cross-eyed.

When slim fingers found their way inside her Valka almost convulsed, _that_ spot inside her seeming to swell and throb in want for the touch it finally got. Mala fucked her slow and methodical, shifted to quick and eager only to back off again, slowing down until Valka was almost delirious, bucking and shaking and probably embarrassing herself by begging so wantonly for the climax lingering just out of reach.

Sweet, sweet release was hers soon enough when Mala decided Valka had suffered for it plenty, relentless pleasure wracking her body as she moaned aloud, babbled nonsensical sounds of gratitude for the relief of burning heat at last. Falling limp against her bed, Valka felt little aftershocks as tremors in her muscles, letting out a faint gasp of complaint when fingers left her body.

"Are you alright?"

"I am wonderful. Possibly also dead."

Mala had a very nice laugh, Valka noticed as she floated on a cloud of post-coital reward hormones, body slowly unwinding from the previous tension of coiling toward climax.

"I suppose the word does translate to "little death", so I shall take that as a compliment."

Valka dug down to find her second wind, increasingly eager to experience this womans body in turn. Mala went on her back willingly, twisting and reaching and lifting helpfully when Valka bit and kissed and stroked various parts of her body. Her receptive nerves stirred erotic sounds from lips swollen with kisses and nips.

Hungry to taste her, Valka still ventured with fingers first to watch the way Mala's face shifted with the sensations, tightening and relaxing almost in time with the quivering muscles gripping her fingers in a satin vice. Mala was _not_ shy, vocal in her enjoyment and visibly confident to express it. Arousal and sex were thick on the air and Valka half-considered opting for something to bring them both off, but her mouth could wait no more.

Musky with the taste of pure _lust,_ Valka's tongue spread Mala open to seek the hardened bud of her clit, slick with arousal and pulsing beneath the hot muscle. The tight muscles of her thighs quivered around Valka, spread wide initially but the instinctive curling up of Mala's body had them closing in. Knuckles turned white on the sheets before a tanned hand cupped a tanned breast, Mala thumbing her own nipple as the other hand buried itself in Valka's hair.

"Gods yes, there! Keep going!"

Mala was clearly enamoured with her current actions, and so Valka repeated them until the blonde woman began to tighten further. Fingers on her scalp and thighs against her shoulders. Some people opened up as they came, blooming like flowers as it took them but Mala was one who curled up with the climax to savour it, relish in the heat.

With a last few strokes of her tongue, Valka crooked her fingers to nudge the hotspot hidden within again and Mala twisted, arching and contorting and moaning - gods above, those _sounds -_ with intermittent curses until she fell lax, gasping and panting and beaming.

"I concur. I feel _wonderful."_

Valka shared her elation, lazily wiping at her wet face as she slumped on the bed next to Mala to smile and just generally bask in how much she had missed sex. The afterglow. The feel of a warm body next to her own. Mala allowed her a few minutes basking, but soon she was crawling back on top of Valka.

"I hope you are not labouring under the misapprehension that I am done with you just yet."

When the two women finally succumbed to sleep, it was ridiculously late to be going to bed but Valka was so exhausted staying awake was out of the question. She woke to Mala embracing her from behind, even in slumber, and Valka could not help but smile.

She hadn't realised she was lonely until a lovely lady resided in her bed again, warm and softly breathing in sleep.

"Morning."

Valka had made to leave the bed, her attempt at careful movement still disturbing Mala enough to wake her.

"It is morning. Do you have to make a rapid departure?"

"No no, I do not have to start until... midday."

Wrapped comfortably in Valka's spare dressing gown, Mala and she sat sharing a morning coffee. There was no awkwardness, utterly comfortable in the soft light of day. Valka was about to venture a question of what to do for breakfast when the front door opened, scrape of key in lock telling her it was Hiccup before he came in.

He could hardly miss Mala, eyes widening in surprise for just a second before he composed himself, flashed a knowing grin at his mother.

"Ladies. Don't mind me, I left something I need for work here. Nice to uh, see you again Mala."

Hiccup scurried past, and Valka knew he would be ribbing her for this at a later time, but he was obviously trying not to interrupt the actual moment itself.

Well, not until

"Why is there a bra on the T-rex?"

-HTTYD-

 **I did not expect this second chapter to grow so much.**

 **Plus it probably sucked as I can't write fem slash.**

 **But I had fun and so did Mala and Valka. That's what counts right?**


End file.
